A Path to Heaven
by Draka Dracula
Summary: Fox's Peter Pan & the PiratesYu Yu Hakusho Crossover. About an aspect of Peter's life that isn't often mentioned. A very SAD aspect.


A Path to Heaven

Jo Ann/Petra

A _Peter Pan & the Pirates/Yu Yu Hakusho_ Crossover. This is about an aspect of Peter's life that doesn't get discussed much. He probibly forgets about it as soon as it happens, considering that it's a very _sad_ task.

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_Quote:_ There were odd stories about him, as that when children died he went part of the way with them, so that they should not be frightened. --Peter Breaks Through, _Peter Pan_

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Disclaimer: I don't own Peter Pan or Yu Yu Hakusho. I do own Petra Pan.

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"Ahoy, Captain Codfish!" Peter's "Good-Morning Crow" echoed over the water as he paid his usual morning visit to the Jolly Roger. Right behind him was the Lost Boys and Wendy.

"Peter Pannnn..." Captian Hook growled, drawing out Peter's last name in a long hiss. "This time, I'll send you to Perdition for certain!" He unsheathed his sword, ready to do battle with his young nemesis.

"Now, Captain," Peter grinned, "is that any way to treat your playmate?"

"I've no time for play, you miscreant!" Hook retorted. He readied himself as Peter dove in to engage in their morning duel.

"Peter!" came a voice from high in the sky. It was female, but neither Wendy, nor Tinkerbell. Everyone's attention was redirected toward the spot from wince the voice came.

Flying around in the sky was a beautiful girl riding on an oar. Her pink and blue kimono spoke of Japan, and her blue hair was tied up in a high ponytail.

"Botan!" Peter moaned. She flew down to hover just face-to-face with him. "What do _you_ want?"

"Now Peter," Botan replied, a hint of annoyance in her lovely, British-accented voice. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"Sorry, Botan," Peter apologized. "It _is_ good to see you again. But every time you come around, it's usually to get me to..." he could not bring himself to finish.

"I know," she sighed. "I can really sympathize with you, Peter. Really, I do. But you know as well as I the price you had to pay for your eternal youth, and this Neverland of yours. Are you going to go back on it now, and lose it all?"

"'Price'?" Hook asked. "What 'price' are you talking about, missy?"

"_That_ is between Peter and myself, sir!" Botan retorted.

"Botan's job is to take the souls of the dead to where they are then sent either to Heaven or...well...you know."

"Does that mean you are here to take young Pan to his Just Reward?" Hook gave one of his sneers of triumph. Was he to be rid of the boy so easily?

"Afraid not, Codfish!" Peter answered with a grin.

"The 'price' mentioned has to do with a promise," Botan added. "And we must get to it at once."

"Oh, alright!" Peter agreed reluctantly. "I'll be right back. This won't take long. Coming Tink?"

"You _know_ I don't want to see this!" The fairy folded her arms as she hovered in midair.

"Oh, yeah," Peter frowned. "I forgot."

"Well, come on, Peter," Botan flew higher into the air. "The sooner we get this done, the faster you'll be back home." Amazingly, Peter obeyed, flying up to follow the pretty girl.

"Well pluck me bald and serve me for dinner, it that wench didn't do what no adult has _ever_ done," Mullins exclaimed in astonishment. "Namely, made Peter Pan follow her orders!"

"What is this 'promise' that Pan has made as the 'price' for his precious Neverland?" Hook demanded of Tinkerbell.

"As if I'd tell _you_ anything!" she answered, fluttering out of his reach to hover near the children.

"Tink," Wendy asked, puzzled, "what's going on?"

"Allow me, Tink!" came another voice. They looked up again, and saw a toddler sucking on a pacifier appearing in midair in a puff of smoke.

"Oh, hi, Koenma," Tink greeted.

"Hi, Tink," Koenma answered.

"Who is this, Tink?" Nibs asked.

"This is Koenma," the fairy answered. "He rules the universe. Well, his _dad_ actually does, but Koenma takes charge when his father has to go away."

"Wow!" Curly gasped. He exchanged glances with Slightly.

"As for Peter's promise," Koenma continued. "Well, it started a long time ago..."

_*~*~*Flashback, Koenma voice-over.*~*~*_

"A long time ago, before there was a Neverland and Peter was still living with the fairies, there was a big conference of magical creatures, to which Botan and I attended, as well."

Fairies, unicorns, trolls, and all kinds of fantasy creatures are gathered in the throne room of a huge, fantasy palace. Sitting in court are King Oberon and Queen Gloriana, the rulers of Fairyland. Sitting nearby, but in seats of honor are Koenma and Botan.

Standing before everyone is a brown-haired boy, dressed all in brown, and a small red-haired fairy in a pink dress. Everyones' attention is focused on these two individuals.

"'If the meeting will come to order,' King Oberon announced." Koenma continued. "When everyone was quiet, he addressed the two in front of them, who was, of course, Peter and Tink."

"'Peter Pan and Tinkerbell: You have made some requests of this community that could have some serious repercussions in the continuum of the universe. Peter, you have requested to remain a child forever, and for a place of your own, in which not only you, but _any_ child, would never age. And you, Tinkerbell, wish to accompany him to this 'Child's Paradise'. To do as Peter asks would disrupt all of Space and Time.'"

"To say the least, this nearly caused a riot amoung the assembled citizens of the fantacy community."

"'Hold it, everyone!' I cried. When I had everyone's attention, I continued. 'I know that Peter and Tinkerbell's requests have more than upset all of you. And it's quite understandable. However, it's not implauseable. I propose that we grant their requests, but place this 'Neverland' in a pocket dimension, apart from the Time/Space Continuum. In that way, it can remain separate from the rest of reality. It will follow whatever rules Peter wishes to impose.'"

"This was quickly agreed upon, but at that moment, I received a message from my father. He demanded that Peter gave back something for the gifts he was about to receive. After much debating, we came to a decision. In exchange for the pocket dimention that rests in the second star to the right, we of the Spirit World may call upon him to perform a special kind of task. A very sad task, I'm afraid, but one that only _he_ can perform."

"Peter wholeheartedly promised to take on the task."

_End Flashback_

"And what, pray tell," Hook demanded, "was this 'special task' that Pan must perform?"

"As Peter told you, Botan's job is to escort the dead to Spirit World, where they are dispatched to wherever they need to go. Of course, we also get children's souls. And, being children, they all go to Heaven. Most do so without a whimper; they know that they are going to someplace where they will be happy. However, occasionally, there is a child who is afraid to go. Perhaps they died horribly, or afraid. It's different for every child. These frightened ones do not wish to leave their grave on Earth, where everything is familiar. It is a child in this state that Peter is called upon to help us with."

"What is it exactly that he does?" John asked.

"He calms them with his pipes, and coaxes them to let go of their Earthly bonds. He even goes part of the way to Heaven with them, so they will not be frightened any longer. As he can only go so far, Botan then takes them the rest of the way."

The children and the pirates looked at each other in surprise.

"And that," Koenma concluded, "is the promise Peter made to my father. In exchange for eternal youth, the pocket dimention, and total power in Neverland, Peter Pan must act as escort to Heaven for the souls of children."

*~*~*

Peter flew alongside Botan as she led the way to the newest grave. Both were silent, lost in their thoughts. Peter wondered what he would find when they arrived, and if he would still be able to coax the little spirit to travel to Heaven. He had not have had to do this in a long while.

Soon, they arrived at a lonely cemetery. Botan led him to a new grave. As she always did, she read the writing on the tombstone for him. This always reminded him how serious the situation was.

The child's name was Lana --he did not pay attention to the last name, so anxious was he to get the whole thing over with. The dates on the stone read: May 6, 1886 -- June 9, 1889. Three years old. Only _three years old_! Peter fought to keep from crying.

"How?" he asked.

"Smallpox," Botan answered. She nodded to him and gestured with her hand for him to begin. He nodded back and raised his panpipes to his mouth.

He played a gentle lullaby, one that always brought the shyest, most frightened of spirits out into the open. He played for what seemed to be hours, never letting up as his fingers flew over the holes in the instrument.

From out of the grave came a very tiny girl spirit, tears of fear in her eyes. When she was completely out of the ground, Lana stared at him, completely spellbound by the music the boy played.

When he was finished, Peter knelt on the ground and lifted a hand toward her.

"Lana?" he asked softly. She nodded shyly. "You need to come to Heaven, now," he told her. She shook her head. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I'll even go most of the way with you. Would you like that?" She nodded. "Alright. But I can only go so far. Botan will take you the rest of the way." With a gesture, he indicated the pretty girl standing nearby. Botan smiled kindly at the child.

"Will you come, now?" Peter asked, trying to smile. Lana nodded again, and Peter took her hand. Up they flew, Botan by their side.

As he promised, Peter went most of the way with them, then stopped and allowed Botan to finish escorting the child to her new home. Then, Botan returned to his side.

"Let's land for a moment, Peter," Botan suggested. She always suggested this after their task was done. The two of them landed on the flat roof of a large building. As she had done so many times in the past, Botan silently raised her arms to him, and, as he had done so many times before, Peter ran to her and cried.

"Shhh..." the blue-haired girl soothed and calmed him. This was really no task for a child, but he would soon forget --as he _always_ does. He would continue playing games in his private little world, until the _next_ time he was needed to escort a child's spirit to it's Heavenly home. Later, they took off again, heading for Neverland.

*~*~*

When Peter and Botan arrived, the first thing Wendy did was throw her arms around him and give him a big hug.

"Koenma told us about your promise, and the task you must do," Wendy said. "Oh, Peter!"

"It'll be okay," he said. He glanced over to the toddler and said, "Hi, Koenma."

"Hello, Peter," Koenma answered. "I trust all went well?"

"As well as can be expected," Peter answered.

"That's good. Well, Botan and I must get going. There's a Spirit World to run, you know."

"Yes," Peter smiled weakly. "If you two can fit it in sometime, why don't you come and visit just to visit? No...'task'...just visit?"

"We'll try, Peter," Botan smiled. She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead before she and Koenma left Neverland.

"Let's go home," Peter said, watching them go. "I don't feel like fighting the pirates today." With that, Peter and the children flew back to the Underground House. With time --as he always did-- Peter forgot about performing the task which he was occationaly set, until the _next_ time he was called upon to provide a child's escort to Heaven.

**THE END**


End file.
